Diocesan Council Highlights
September 11, 2012
1.OPENING - WelcomeThe Parish Hall of St. Augustine’s, Marpole was set up in a different configuration from the usual room sized rectangle of tables for this the first meeting following the summer hiatus. The table for the officers and secretaries was in its usual location but the rest of the tables where set up in two staggered rows, west to east with chairs positioned on both sides. This configuration was in place to help facilitate a table discussion regarding the Resources Study Report on the proposed diocesan financial campaign.
Bishop Michael’s welcome was brief as the agenda was extremely full. He began by welcoming two DC members to their first meeting, Patrick Donahoe from North Vancouver and Cameron Gutjahr from St. Mary’s, Kerrisdale, representing the young people of the Diocese.Bishop Michael also announced that the October meeting would take place at St. Matthew’s, Abbotsford.
And then opened the meeting with prayer
3.PRESENTATION
3.1 Report of the Diocesan Feasibility Study
Sarah Howard, Managing Partner and President of Compton Fundraising Consultants Ltd. presented a 15 minute overview of the Resources Study Report submitted on August 30th, 2012.
The report was based on 39 face to face interviews conducted between the end of May 2012 and the middle of August, 2012, and a Parish email survey sent to all parishes. 56 parishes responded to the email survey which represented 80% participation.Questions in both the face to face interviews and the parish email survey were asked in order to determine the feasibility of conducting a 19 million dollar, 5 year financial campaign producing revenue that would be shared equally by the diocese and the parishes with a shared percentage off the top going to the National Church.
Council listened intently to Ms. Howard’s engaging presentation and when it was completed Bishop Michael asked DC if there were any “questions of clarification.” There were two or three process questions and when those were adequately addressed Bishop Michael asked that each table select a reporter and for the next 20 minutes reflect on what they had just heard and be prepared to communicate those reflections and observations to council.
More information about the Resources Study Report and the Reactions of the DC table groups to the information will be available closer to the Special Synod scheduled for November 17th, 9:00am-12pm.
Following this item DC took a 15 minute break.
6.2 Bishop Hills’ Memorial Church of St. Mary the Virgin - Motion of Closure
Bishop Michael welcomed the guests from the faith community commonly referred to as St. Mary’s South Hill and informed DC that due to their arrival and the size of the agenda DC would move ahead to item 6.2
In the absence of Dr. Starr Allaby, Chair of the Ministry and Congregational Development Committee, The Venerable Dr. Ellen Clark-King, Archdeacon of Burrard, and The Reverend Markus Duenzkofer, Regional Dean of Burrard and East Vancouver the task of speaking to the closure motion fell to MCDC member, The Reverend Christine Rowe.
Christine was Priest-in-Charge at St. Mary’s neighbouring church, St. Thomas in the first decade of the new century and she is very familiar with the community. She went on to say that it is very sad when a faith community comes to the end of its ministry but that out of this, new beginnings and new ministry may emerge.
Legal Registrar, Don Paul and Chancellor, George Cadman outlined the procedure of closure as per Canon 13.
(1)At the May 2012 Diocesan Council Meeting the Committee recommendations will be considered. If Council approves the recommendation of the Committees (requires only a simple majority), then the formal Closure process will be initiated.
(2)Following the May 2012 meeting, formal notice will then go to the Parish indicating that the Council accepted the recommendation to consider closure and that this will come before Diocesan Council for the first time at the September 2012 meeting of Diocesan Council.(3) If Diocesan Council, at the September 2012 meeting, votes by the requisite 75% majority to close the Parish, then the matter must come before Council at a subsequent ( but not necessarily the next) meeting of Diocesan Council.
(4)The Parish has a right, but not an obligation, to bring forward its views to Diocesan Council at either meeting of Diocesan Council that considers closure.
(5)At any stage, the Parish may by its own resolution decide to ask the Bishop for closure and the Bishop at any stage, can refuse to act on the decision of Council to close the Parish
A contingent, led by St. Mary’s, South Hill’s People’s Warden, John Wright were present to offer their views. John began by saying that the congregation was upset that nobody from outside their community had visited in the past 6-8 months to see how they were doing during this critical time in the parish’s life. Last September the parish was way down, no energy, but something happened, they’ve been doing a lot of praying. There is growth. All of a sudden at the October 1st, 2011 Vestry Meeting there was an open visioning meeting. John was surprised at the amount of energy in the room. They formed breakout groups and began to talk about what they could do. Church attendance was averaging about 20 on a Sunday and now that is closer to 40. There is a Sunday School of 6 -8 children. There are new people on Parish Council.
John went on to say that the St. Mary’s South Hill community “never got the right end of MAP” but now they are ready, ready to try it and move forward.The St. Mary’s Community is ready to look at personal evangelism and go into that part of south Vancouver and invite people from the neighbourhood. They have already tried doing a direct distribution campaign of 100 brochures around their location.
Other members of St. Mary’s including parishioner, Evelyn McMurtrie (who had prepared a colourful presentation board to aid DC in their understanding of St. Mary’s current growth) had additional information add to what John had told DC, they reported that:
• Life and Ministry at St. Mary’s is increasingly vibrant
• it is an engaged community.
• Meeting members of the parish “puts a face” to St. Mary’s it’s not just numbers.
• The congregation has grown by three families in the past few months
• recently there have been three baptisms.
• A group of younger people at St. Mary’s want to take part in MAP and want to work together to discern what God’s mission is for St. Mary’s.
And an 8 year old read a letter she had written to Bishop Michael asking him not to close the church she loves.
Christine Rowe put forward the motion seconded by Jim Stewart
THAT the Bishop and Diocesan Council thank St Mary, South Hill for its 100 years of ministry in the South Hill neighbourhood of Vancouver and be assured that the work undertaken and lives changed will contribute to the ongoing work of God’s mission in the Diocese of New Westminster; and having received the recommendations of the MCDC Committee and the A&F Committee, Diocesan Council initiates the formal process towards closure of the Parish of St Mary, South Hill, understanding that all required Canonical procedures should be followed and that, in the event of closure, the Parish's various assets be divided and transferred appropriately in accordance with Diocesan policy.
A number of DC members responded to this fresh information from the parishioners by saying that after what they had just heard they could not support the motion.
Richard Leggett suggested that a motion to table be put forward .Motion to table until the February meeting was moved, seconded and carried.
3. (cont’d) PRESENTATION
3.2 Report of Diocesan School of Leadership
The Rev. Douglas Fenton, Director of Mission and Ministry reported on the first ever Diocesan Leadership School held July 22nd to 28th. He told DC that the concept was borrowed from the Diocese of Olympia and the Director of the diocesan School was and will continue to be The Reverend Canon Melissa Skelton of the Diocese of Olympia. Much of what Douglas said has been covered in the article in the September issue of Topic. The school will expand registration next year from 35 to 50+ and both the A and B sections of the program will be available.
Douglas asked the four members of DC present that evening who had attended the school to speak about their experiences for 60 seconds . All four were glowing in their endorsement of the school and all would like to continue and will encourage more people from their parishes to attend.Tony Sauder, one of the four, pointed out that for him one of the most important things he gained is that he now has a community that he can go to for support.
4. MINUTES
4.1 The June 12th, 2012, Minutes were RECEIVED with two minor amendments
5. CORRESPONDENCE – FOR INFORMATION
Bishop Michael remarked briefly about the correspondence, focusing on the letters that had gone between himself and the Archbishop of Toronto and the Bishop of British Columbia regarding their generous gifts to the Diocese of New Westminster to help defray the costs of the recent years of litigation.
5.1 Letter from The Most Rev. Colin R. Johnson, Diocese of Toronto
5.2 Letter from The Rt. Rev. Michael Ingham, Diocese of New Westminster5.3 Letter from The Rt. Rev. James Cowan, Diocese of British Columbia
5.4 Letter from The Rt. Rev. Michael Ingham, Diocese of New Westminster
5.5 Letter from The Primate of August 1, 2012
5.6 Letter from Anglican Foundation – St. Phillip’s Grant
5.7 Letter from the Compass Rose Society – August 30th, 2012
5.8 Letter from St. Martin’s Anglican Church – July 17th, 2012
6. ACTION – FOR DEBATE
6.1 St. Alban, Burnaby - Request – Sale of Duplex
Business Administrator Rob Dickson guided DC through the précis and the letter of request from the parish.
The motion was passed unanimously at all committee meetings and the following Motion was recommended to Diocesan CouncilTHAT Diocesan Council grant permission to the Parish of St. Alban the Martyr Anglican Church, Burnaby to sell the property at 7737 19th Avenue Burnaby, B.C. and that Diocesan Council refer the decision on sale details to be confirmed with the Diocesan Sales Committee -The Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer, the Registrar, the Legal Assessor, the Executive Archdeacon and the Diocesan Business Administrator. And THAT the proceeds of the sale of the property be deposited in the Diocesan Consolidated Trust Fund in a Restricted Account for benefit of the Parish.
The MOTION was carried
There a were a number of Motions carried over from Diocesan Synod, May 11th and 12th, 2012, and and referred to DC, two of these were addressed at the September meeting.
6.4 Motion #6 from Synod – Twinning of the Kinder Morgan Pipeline
There were minor word changes made to the Motion, Regional Deans was removed and replaced with Archdeacons.
The Rev. Lillian Elliott, Deacon at St. Margaret’s of Scotland gave a personal reflection about Burnaby Inlet and her concern that its beauty will be destroyed by the increase in oil tanker traffic in and around the Inlet and that an increased pipeline presence is a threat to the environmental stability of the area.
Kinder Morgen in their plans to twin their current pipeline capability in the area will need to present their case to the Federal energy and environmental authorities in 2016.
Motion #6
That this Synod: request the Bishop to convey its support to the mayors of Vancouver and Burnaby in their opposition to any increase in oil tanker traffic in Burrard Inlet resulting from the proposed twinning of the Kinder Morgan pipeline; and, request the Archdeacons of Capilano-Kingcome, North Vancouver, and New Westminster to work with parish clergy and lay leaders to urge their respective local governments to oppose the proposed twinning of the Kinder Morgan pipeline and subsequent increases in oil tanker traffic in Burrard Inlet.
The Motion from Synod was carried
6.5 Motion Number 10 from Synod 2012 – Marpole Midden
Heather Robertson spoke to the Motion and she informed DC that much has happened between last May (when Synod was held) and September where we are today, so the motion needed to be amended.
Heather is an anthropologist and archeologist and she reminded DC that one of the largest settlements of the Musqueam people was located in much of what we know as South Vancouver. There is currently a developer with plans to put a condo development in the 1300 block of South Granville which further threatens this essential archeological site and a resting place for ancestors of the Musqueam people.Motion #10
Be it resolved that this session of Synod requests the Bishop and Diocesan Council, on behalf of the diocese to write to representatives of the Provincial Government:The Premier,, The Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation and to the Mayor and Council of the City of Vancouver calling for:
Both Province and City to take an active role in there solution of this conflict by following the leadership of Musqueam people to preserve the Marpole Midden as the irreplaceable heritage of all British Columbians.
The Motion was carried as amended
9. NOMINATIONS
9.1 Appointment of The Rev. Sharon Salomons to the, St Michael Centre
That Appointment was approved by DC
9.2 Appointment of Grants and Loans Committee for 2012/2013
The only new addition was Stephanie Williams.
The Committee Appointment was approved by DC
The next meeting of Diocesan Council will take place Tuesday, October 9th, 2012 at St. Matthew’s, Abbotsford.
Images: Top and Homepage, Diocesan Council table groups discuss the Resources Study Report. Upper left, Rob Dickson welcomes Sarah Howard. Upper right, Sarah Howard discusses a component of the "case". Middle, John Wright of St. Mary's, South Hill addresses DC. Middle left, Evelyn McMurtrie points out the growth and increased vitality at St. Mary's South Hill with the aid of a display board. Lower right, Tony Sauder speaks about his experiences at the first Diocesan School of Leadership. Lower left Heather Roberts speaks to Synod Motion #10
Diocesan Council is the decision making, governing body of the Diocese of New Westminster consisting of:
the Diocesan Officers (Bishop, Dean, Executive Archdeacon, Chancellor, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer)
the Archdeacons of the five Archdeaconries
the Archdeacon who is the Director of Deacons
two additional Diocesan Legal Officers, (Registrar and Legal Assessor)
a Lay Secretary, a Clergy Secretary,
the chairs of the Diocesan Standing Committees
there are two Deanery reps either Ordained or Lay. Sometimes Deaneries have two lay reps and sometimes two clergy reps, sometimes one of each. A Deanery is a group of churches, geographically affiliated and the reps are elected at the Annual Synod Meeting.
Synod Staff also attend meetings but are not members of Diocesan Council. They include: Business Administrator, Director of Planned Giving, Comptroller, Youth Coordinator and Communications Officer (and other staff as required).
Diocesan Synod consists of all the active clergy in the Diocese of New Westminster and 2-6 lay people elected from each diocesan parish proportionate to the size of the parish community.
Diocesan Council functions as the Synod between Synods, it is a representation of the large group that meets annually.
Diocesan Council and Diocesan Synod are both chaired by the Bishop.
Diocesan Council meets monthly on the second Tuesday of the month usually at St. Augustine, Marpole at 7:30pm. Diocesan Council is adjourned for the months of July and August.